


As You Wish

by pet



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 10:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16303838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pet/pseuds/pet
Summary: The Annual Halloween Ball is upon them and Hermione has the perfect costume: the Princess Buttercup. When she arrives and sees someone dressed as the Man in Black, she decides that she needs to know who he is. And where is the man she's come to love over the past few years?





	As You Wish

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [HalloweenHarmonyComp2018](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/HalloweenHarmonyComp2018) collection. 



> **Prompt:**
> 
> Harry shows up to the Halloween party as "Character A" and Hermione shows up as "Character B" who is the character Harry's dressed as love interest. How does this play out?

Hermione Granger looked at herself in the mirror, adjusting the color charm on her hair in order to get the shade just so and wishing her unofficial roommate was there to help her out. While her natural hair color was rather dark, the character she was attempting to become had much lighter tresses. It took a few more minutes before Hermione managed to turn her hair to a dirty blonde. Pulling her comb through her hair, she used just a bit of Sleekeazy’s to tame her wayward curls. Satisfied that her hair was just right, she tied the gold ribbon belt around her waist and exited the bathroom.

Halloween at the Ministry of Magic had come to mean a costumed ball in the years since Harry Potter had defeated You Know Who. Even if she wasn’t an employee of the Ministry, Hermione would be expected to attend as a member of the Golden Trio. At first, the various balls had been a time of remembrance, but as of late, they’d become more akin to a festival environment. The who’s who of the Wizarding world would be in attendance showing off their wealth with grandiose costumes. It was almost enough to make her reconsider her choice of character for the evening.

Being a Muggleborn, Hermione knew that not many in attendance would know of her character. She really couldn’t care less, either. The Princess Bride was one of her favorite books as a young child and when she’d seen the film for the first time just after her tenth birthday, she’d fallen in love with the tale all over again. The timeless story of pirates, sword fights, kidnapping, revenge, true love, and more, would always hold a special place in her life. She’d wanted to dress like this for a few years now, but Hermione always found herself suckered into some group costume. Friends and co-workers alike had pushed and pulled her in many directions over the eleven years since these balls began. This year, though, she was convinced to go her own way. Therefore, she knew that she just had to be Buttercup.

It was strange to be preparing for a ball alone, as she usually had at least one person around. For the past couple of years, she’d basically been living with Harry Potter. There was nothing romantic between them, sadly in her mind, but they’d spent so much time together as children and teens that they often found themselves sleeping over at each other’s places as adults. Their careers at the Ministry usually had them working together in some capacity, so they were almost always together. Tonight, though, he was nowhere to be found. Thankfully she knew she would see him at the ball.

With one last look in the mirror, Hermione declared herself ready to go. She tied her beaded bag to her belt and Disillusioned it before tucking her wand into a custom pocket stitched into her costumes belt. Taking a deep breath, Hermione grabbed a handful of Floo powder and made her way to the atrium at the Ministry of Magic.

The hallway to the Ministry Ballroom was adorned in various Halloween decorations. Everything from bed sheets charmed to resemble tacky Muggle ghosts to bats, giant spiders, and talking Jack-o-Lanterns could be found. The ballroom itself was much more simply designed; tables with black and orange linens, candles dripping wax, and actual ghosts abounded. Small clusters of people mingled about, conversation flowing as freely as the libations. House Elves circulated, trays laden with finger foods and tall glasses of champagne. There was a soft glow of light in the room, lending itself to the mystery of the masked occupants. 

Some costumes were as elaborate as Hermione’d known they would be. The upper crust of Pureblood society was adorned in the very best, some sparkling from head to toe with jewels to make them look as if they were actual royalty. Other witches and wizards had opted to go a more traditional route, simply adding a bejeweled or feathered mask with their finery. It was the younger crowd that seemed to fully embrace the encroaching Muggle Halloween traditions. Hermione noticed a pair of tall and lanky red heads who appeared to be costumed at Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Beside them, they saw another shock of red peeking out from underneath a top hat. She made her way in their direction.

“Ron?” Hermione asked.

“Hullo, ‘Mione!” He replied. “What are you supposed to be?”

“I might ask you the same question!”

Ron chuckled and attempted to attach a moustache to his upper lip. “I’m that bloke from that board game you introduced me to a few years back!”

She smiled, taking in his three-piece black suit, his white gloves, and top hat while he fought to keep the white moustache on his face. With the exception of his hair and freckles, he could very well have passed for Rich Uncle Pennybags! For a moment, she thought of laughing outright at his vain attempts at facial hair but thought better of it when George spoke up.

“He had that thing charmed on, but claimed it wouldn’t stay on him.”

“We kept reminding him that he was a wizard,” Fred said, picking up the thought of his twin, “that he should try a different charm, but he wouldn’t.”

“Finally got him to admit the thing was itching him.” Then George leaned down to whisper to her, “As it should, since we doused it with a prototype itching powder from the shop. Looks bloody ridiculous, if you ask me.”

At this, Hermione did laugh. Leave it to the twins to use their younger brother as an unwitting test subject! Claiming she needed a drink, Hermione took a few steps away from the boys, hoping that she could avoid finding herself in Ron’s predicament. She took a glass from a passing elf and moved to take a sip when she saw him.

Walking into the ballroom from a side chamber came Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic, but it wasn’t him that caught her eye. A half step behind him was a man in black and her eyes drank him in like a woman parched. The tall, leather boots, folded over at the top. The tight, black pants. The loose, flowy, black shirt with puffed sleeves, cuffed at the wrist. The black belt with sword attached. The black mask which covered not only his eyes, but the top of his head.

It was the Dread Pirate Roberts!

How could this be? From the distance that separated them, Hermione couldn’t tell who the wizard really was, but she knew she needed to find out. Perhaps he would notice her and make his way in her direction? But who was he?

She looked around the room, trying to discern which of the usual crowd from these balls were missing. After a few minutes while the Man in Black stood speaking with the Minister, she figured that there were only two men who not only could be regularly seen with the Minister and who fit the physical description of the man before her: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. Taking a step closer to try and figure out which man it was, Hermione found herself surprisingly disappointed when she thought she caught a flash of blond under the black mask. Her heart fell a bit, thinking that it had to be Malfoy under the mask.

“What’s wrong, ‘Mione?” Ron asked. “You look like you lost your best friend.”

“Sorry. I thought I saw someone, but it wasn’t him.”

Sighing deeply, Hermione mentally shook herself and focused on the growing group of friends surrounding her. They spoke of their lives, their relationships (or lack thereof), and the comings and goings of the Ministry before dinner was announced. The Man in Black had disappeared, leaving her slightly relieved that she wouldn’t have to explain her costume choice to one Draco Malfoy. It was for the best. The last thing she needed was the big, blond prat thinking she fancied him…

But where was Harry?

Completely distracted looking around for her green-eyed friend, Hermione didn’t notice the Man in Black until it was too late. The whole thing seemed to happen in slow motion. She bumped into him, falling onto her bottom and hitting her elbow off of a side table on the way down. As she sat holding onto her elbow, she looked up at the Man in Black. His eyes were a more muddled blue than Cary Elwes has, and certainly not like the sea after a storm as they were said to be in the story. His hair also wasn’t as blond as she’d thought earlier. Perhaps it wasn’t Malfoy under the mask, after all!

Her ponderings were halted when she noticed he was laughing at her. In a moment of complete instinct, she leveled him with a glare and said, “You mock my pain!”

“Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”

The man turned and walked away before she could say anything else, and not a second later, Ron was beside her to help her up. She stared after the Man in Black, almost completely ignoring Ron’s attempts to ascertain what had happened. It wasn’t until he put his hands on her face and physically turned her to look at him did she hear what he was saying. She assured him she was fine, no she wasn’t hurt, and did he have any idea who that was?

“You know,” he began, “I asked him, but all he said was ‘no one of consequence’ before he walked away. Mind, this was before you got here,” he said when he saw the question forming on her lips. “I thought maybe it was Malfoy, you know, just because of how he spoke to me, but something was off. Now I’m not so sure.”

“Do you know where Harry is?”

“Said he’d be round later. Something about a meeting with the head of the Aurors.”

Hermione took Ron’s offered arm and the two walked into dinner as friends. They’d tried to make a go of it after the Battle of Hogwarts, but they were simply too different. They’d lived together for a few months before Ron tried out for the Chudley Cannons and was offered their starting Keeper position. Hermione went back to school and eventually sat her N.E.W.T.’s. Now, almost six years later, she was moving up the ranks as a Ministry solicitor, while Ron was enjoying quidditch stardom. They were still the best of friends, nothing more, though neither had been in a real relationship since. Ron learned quickly that quidditch groupies weren’t the types of witches he’d want to be around, and Hermione had been too busy pining after a certain savior.

Sitting down at her table, she looked around at the familiar faces of her surrogate family. The Weasley’s had, for the most part, been there for her since she entered the Wizarding World. Once she and Ron had become friends, there had always been at least one member of this family willing to stick their neck out for her. Mr and Mrs Weasley were dressed adorably as Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy, while Percy was dressed up as some obscure scholarly wizard. The twins sat across from her while Ron sat to her left. There were still two empty seats at their table when the entrees appeared before them. They’d been eating for only a couple of minutes when Ginny came rushing to the table, wearing a rather realistic Wicked Witch of the West costume.

“Sorry I’m late,” she said before turning to address Hermione. “Oh my!!! You’re the most beautiful Princess Buttercup!!! I knew you would be!”

“Thanks, Ginny!”

The girls hugged before Ginny sat down on the other side of Ron and began to eat. The girls kept up a steady conversation between them for a while before Ron finally offered to switch seats with his sister, simply so that he didn’t have to listen to the entire discussion. After all, he really didn’t care much for talk of hair charms, costume choices, or who looked the best that evening. Hermione giggled to herself as she watched her one-time boyfriend make certain he had every bit of food that had been in front of him.

Dinner was over, and the dirty dishes were magically cleared. In their place appeared many different dessert offerings, including a few jars of candies that were calling Hermione’s name. Reaching out, she took one in her hands and attempted to open it, but couldn’t.

“Can someone open this for me?”

“As you wish,” came the voice beside her, as a gloved hand relieved her of the jar before opening it effortlessly and handing it back to her.

Her breath caught in her throat when the Man in Black took the seat next to her, the seat reserved for Harry. He greeted everyone at the table and began to nibble on some desserts. Conversation was steady around the table, but Hermione had no part in it. She was still in a bit of shock that Harry Potter, the man she’d slowly fallen in love with over the last few years of working (and practically living) together, was dressed at the soul mate of her character choice! What an amazing coincidence! After all, the only person she’d told her costume choice had been…

Ginny.

Ginny and Harry were friends. At one point they’d all thought the pair would be more, but like so many others, they’d simply realized they were better off as friends. For a few months, they hadn’t talked, but one night of drunken confessions had changed all of that. Everything was laid out, all cards were on the table, and Harry and Ginny rekindled their friendship. Hermione remembered the night distinctly, as she’d been the designated Apparator and wasn’t drinking at all. That was also the first night she’d realized that her feelings for Harry went deeper than simply friends.

Desserts lingered on the tables as the music began and a dance floor appeared. The party went on into the night and a good time was had by all. Soon it was just gone midnight, the crowd was slowly dwindling, and the band slowed the music for the few remaining couples. Taking a chance she knew she normally wouldn’t take, Hermione found Harry just as a slow song was beginning.

“Farm boy? Dance with me?”

“As you wish.”

The two came together on the dance floor and swayed in time with the music. For the entirety of the first song, they simply danced. During the second slow number, Hermione plucked up the courage to ask Harry about his costume.

“I wasn’t sure what to wear,” he admitted. “I knew I wanted to do something special, but I wasn’t sure what, and I knew I couldn’t ask you.”

“Why not?” she interrupted.

Harry simply motioned to his costume before he continued. “I had to match you, didn’t I? Ginny helped me put this together after you told her what your costume would be. She knew that…” Harry’s voice trailed off before he looked around nervously. “Let’s go for a walk.”

She let him lead her off the dance floor and across the ballroom. When they reached the door to the atrium, Hermione asked, “aren’t you worried about the S.O.U.S.’s?”

“The what? Don’t you mean R.O.U.S.’s?”

Laughing, she replied, “no, silly! They’re spiders, not rodents!”

The pair walked out into the atrium and saw that the decorative spiders that could have rivaled Aragog for size. Most unusual for a normal spider. Maneuvering around the many decorations, the pair found a quiet alcove with a bench. They sat, Harry removed his mask, and Hermione waited for him to speak.

“Look, Hermione. I know we’ve known each other forever. We’ve been through hell and back and every step of the way, through every terrible and wonderful thing that’s happened, you’ve been there. I used to think of you like the sister I never had, but it’s more than that. You’re more than that.” Harry swallowed and looked down at their hands that had somehow become joined on his knees. “You’re everything.”

“Harry - “

“No. Let me speak. If I don’t say this now, I might never get the nerve again.” He sighed before bringing his eyes back up to meet hers. “I know you don’t like the celebrity. I know you’re not one to look for attention and I realize that I’m asking a lot of you, but I just know that if I don’t have you in my life… If I don’t know that you’re going to be there – “

“I’ll always be –“

“I love you.” He paused, taking in her reaction before pressing on. “I have done for a long time now. We haven’t dated, but we’ve practically lived together for a few years now. I’m not even sure why I’ve kept Grimmauld Place for how much time I spend at your flat.”

Harry reached into the left front pocket of his trousers and pulled out a bag similar to the one Hermione carried with her everywhere. From the depths of the bag, he summoned two vials of Sober-Up Potion and handed one to Hermione. They both downed the potion and Harry put the bottles away. Then he put the bag away and placed his right hand into his other front pocket.

“I know I only had one glass of champagne tonight, but I didn’t know how much you’ve had, and I need you completely sober for this.” He pulled his right hand out of his pocket but kept his fist clenched as he dropped to one knee before her. “I don’t need to be dating you to know that I love you. I also don’t need to date you to see if we could work as a couple. You and I both know, deep down, that the reason we’re not seeing other people is because we’re meant for each other.”

Hermione was crying. His words were true, even though she’d never consciously realized it. Harry was the bar by which she measured every other wizard. He was kind to her when no one else was, there for her whenever she needed him. Looking into his gorgeous green eyes, Hermione saw her future. She blinked away her tears and settled on the small solitaire diamond he held between his fingers.

“Wuv, twu wuv, is wut bwings us togevver today.” 

Hermione laughed at his terrible impression of the Impressive Clergyman. “You got the line wrong.”

“Marry me, Hermione.”

Before Hermione could answer, Ginny came sprinting into the hall.

“Harry! Hermione! Come quick!!! Something’s happened to Ron!”

The three ran back into the ballroom to see Ron sprouting white hair from every visible surface of his body. Immediately suspicious, Hermione turned her attention to Fred and George, who were sitting at their table, snacking.

“What did you do?” she asked them.

George replied, “Nothing he didn’t ask for.”

“Yeah. He kept complaining about not being able to wear that ridiculous moustache, so –“

“- we may have put something into his drink so that he didn’t need to.”

She chuckled as Fred reluctantly handed over the antidote. George, on the other hand, held out the bowl he was snacking from and asked loudly, “Anybody want a peanut?”

Harry and Hermione turned to each other and broke into peals of laughter. No one else really seemed to understand what they found so amusing, but nobody said anything as most were finding humor in the situation Ron found himself in. It wasn’t until Harry went to one knee before Hermione that the room went silent.

“Hermione, my love. Will you marry me?”

The small group of people who remained seemed to hold their breath as they awaited her answer. 

“As you wish.”

**Author's Note:**

> All quotes from The Princess Bride belong to William Goldman. (as do Buttercup and Westley) The Harry Potter stuff also isn't mine. No infringement intended, no profits made.


End file.
